We are in the recovery process after the brutal ice storm that hit Southern Ontario. No power exists. Trees are decimated. Cars are growing branches out of their roofs. Some houses have serious damage from falling limbs.
But never fear.
Help arrives with one neighbour checking around my property to say the house itself had no damage. And then stopped in to check on me. Those of us with fireplaces invited neighbours less fortunate to share our warmth. One person found a distant restaurant open and brought us all a coffee. We opened our defrosting fridges to share any cooked food. We found people cheered one another up. One gal travelled the treacherous road roads to bring me more yarn for the afghans I make for the hospital's chemotherapy patients.
Wouldn’t it be nice if all these things actually happened? Wouldn’t it be nice? Some of them did but some of them did not. Why? Because most of us don’t bother with the little things. We think they don’t matter. And yet what a difference each tiny step makes toward kindness.
I leave you to guess which small steps happened. This article is past due. Will I be able to send it on time? Only the power company knows for sure. Wouldn’t it be nice if they told us? Yes, a week later some people still have no power and no refrigeration and no safety. It’s only the little things. A little thing to do. And there’s no trouble. And the little things smooth people’s road the most.
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PS. We live in limbo here still . . . We are all jaded and I expect depressed. And today they call for more freezing rain. Pray for us please, not just me but people who are in worse shape than me, we are in a disaster area.
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Brenda J Wood has authored more than fifty books. She is a seasoned motivational speaker, who declares the Word of God with wisdom, humour, and common sense.
You amaze me, Brenda. In the midst of all that is happening in your part of the world right now and you still found a way to get your post done and here on our InScribe blog. Thank you for sharing a close up glimpse of what kindness in times of disaster can look like. How lovely that your friend braved the icy roads to bring you yarn for your afghan project. Grace for the days ahead. Be safe.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Brenda for the cheer up note in your comments and thank you for the opportunity to post what it’s like here in Ontario right now
DeleteOh my, Brenda, what a perfect scenario for showing kindness to others. Thank you for your dedication to getting a post out on time. I hope that the weather soon settles for you, and things return to a more springlike atmosphere. May you have grace for each moment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your situation with us, Brenda. We've been seeing the impact of the storm on our TVs. Your wishes of "Wouldn't it be nice if.." is really a prayer for others to show kindness. We don't always realize the impact of our kindness to each other when you wrote: "what a difference each tiny step makes toward kindness."
DeleteOh Brenda! I didn't know about any of this. I have been so cocooned by my own grief these days that I haven't paid much attention to what others are going through. May God give you strength, friend, as you navigate this situation.
ReplyDeleteWhat a storm, Brenda. Know that I am praying for you and your neighbours. May kindness and love prevail in a difficult situation. Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about what you were going through. Hope you have power now and that things are returning to normal. Normal, with a greater touch of kindness. Take care, Brenda.
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